GRAMMY Winner Tommy Emmanuel Releases Living In The Light, His First Solo Album in a Decade

GRAMMY Winner Tommy Emmanuel Releases Living In The Light, His First Solo Album in a Decade
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​Acclaimed guitarist and GRAMMY Award winner Tommy Emmanuel returns with Living In The Light, his first solo album in ten years. Recorded and mixed with producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Phish), the project showcases Emmanuel’s signature blend of acoustic pop, jazz, classical, and roots music, reaffirming his place as one of the most accomplished and versatile guitarists of the modern era.

Accompanying the album release is the video for Emmanuel’s interpretation of Sharon O’Neill’s 1980s hit “Maxine.” Known worldwide for his virtuosic acoustic guitar work, Emmanuel steps into new territory on the track taking on lead vocals, electric guitar, and bass.

“This song was a big hit in Australia in the ’80s,” Emmanuel says. “It’s the story of a young prostitute who’s playing with fire in her life. The storyteller wants to understand and help her. Sharon O’Neill is an old friend and a gifted storyteller.”

Watch “Maxine”

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​Most of Living In The Light was recorded in one or two takes, capturing the spontaneity and joy of Emmanuel’s performances. While the album features plenty of his signature solo instrumentals, Emmanuel also lends his voice to several tracks, grounding his dazzling fretwork with warmth and emotional depth.

“There are elements of rockabilly, blues—even traditional African music—all woven into the songs,” Emmanuel explains. “I’m a world traveler, and I’ve absorbed so much music along the way. It all gets synthesized through osmosis into my soul and comes out in my own unique style.”

A native of Australia, Emmanuel began touring at age six with his family band. By his teens, he was one of the country’s most sought-after session players, performing with major acts including Air Supply and Men at Work. Inspired by his hero—and later mentor and collaborator--Chet Atkins, Emmanuel launched his solo career in 1979. Since then, he’s performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, shared stages with Eric Clapton and John Denver, earned a GRAMMY Award, and even played for a televised audience of more than two billion during the Sydney Olympics closing ceremony.

Hailed by NPR’s World Café as “one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world” and praised by The New York Times as a “prodigy,” Emmanuel was personally honored by Atkins with the title Certified Guitar Player—a distinction shared by only four other musicians.

In recent years, Emmanuel has embraced Nashville as his home, collaborating with a new generation of talent including Jason Isbell, Molly Tuttle, and Billy Strings on his acclaimed Accomplice One and Accomplice Two albums.

“Those records were a real labor of love,” he reflects. “But after that, I felt the urge to focus on my own writing again. The songs for Living In The Light just started pouring out of me.”
Now celebrating his 70th birthday, Emmanuel remains as adventurous and passionate as ever.
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“As I get older, I find myself taking more risks—and having a lot more fun in the process,” he says. “When young people come to my shows and realize it’s okay to be different, that the possibilities of music and self-expression are limitless—that’s what it’s all about for me.”

Tracklisting:
1. Young Travelers
2. A Drowning Heart
3. Scarlett’s World
4. Gdańsk
5. Maxine
6. Little Georgia
7. Initiation 25
8. Black and White to Color
9. Waiting for the Times to Get Better
10. You Needed Me
11. Ya Gotta Do What You Gotta Do

Website: 
tommyemmanuel.com